Industry Experts to Speak at WorkBoat’s Biloxi Summit

Top executives will discuss the future of Shipbuilding at new Summit in Biloxi.

Portland, Maine (PRWEB) March 21, 2014

WorkBoat, the leading provider of news for the U.S. workboat industry, will feature marine industry leaders at its new Regional Summit: Shipyards: A Vision for the Future in Biloxi, Miss., on April 1.

Keynote Address
Building and Retaining a Strong Workforce
According to CareerBuilder's Talent Crunch 2012 Study, more than 33% of employers reported that despite an abundant labor pool, they still have positions for which they cannot find qualified candidates. Specific to shipbuilding and ship repair, many yards and facilities struggle to identify a talent pool to fill their increasing open requisitions for ship fitters, welders and other skilled maritime craft professionals. The solution to the ever-widening skills gap lies in our commitment to training and inspiring a new generation to build the future.

Speakers:

Steve Greene, Vice President, NCCER

Michael Torrech, CEO, American Maritime Holdings Inc.

The Impact of Regulations: Roundtable Discussion
Do U.S. shipyards operate at a disadvantage compared to overseas shipbuilders? Shipyards in many foreign countries don’t have to comply with the volume of rules and regulations that U.S. yards do. For example, companies in the workboat industry point to safety regulations and rules that limit air emissions and overboard discharges. Coast Guard requirements add costs as well and there are always attacks on the Jones Act that must be fended off. Hear from experts who will discuss major regulations facing U.S. shipyards and ways to comply with them while maintaining profitability.

Putting Technology to Work to Streamline Operations
The boatbuilding industry benefits from technological advances. Whether the yard handles new construction, repair work or both, the design of the shipyard and employing the latest advances in welding, robotics, automation and 3D imaging can optimize operations and increase the bottom line. Join this roundtable discussion to hear which of the latest technologies can work for you.

The event will be held in conjunction with the Gulf States Shipbuilding Consortium’s Seventh Annual Conference, Workforce Development: A Time for Change, April 1-3, 2014. A complete agenda for the GSSC Annual Conference can be found at: http://gsship.org/gssc-2014-annual-conference/2014-agenda/.

About WorkBoat
WorkBoat is part of the Diversified Business Communications portfolio of commercial marine events, publications and e-media products. The WorkBoat brand has been connecting qualified buyers with leading suppliers for more than 45 years. In print through WorkBoat magazine, online at WorkBoat.com, face-to-face at the International WorkBoat Show and through education with the Professional Series, WorkBoat delivers high quality information to all segments of the marine industry in North America. For more information, visit http://www.workboat.com.

The WorkBoat Professional Series provides the marine industry professionals with a way to stay on top of what's going on in the workboat industry and its outlook for 2014 and beyond — from business management to marine industry specific topics.

About Diversified Communications
Diversified Communications, based in Portland, Maine, provides information and market access through face-to-face events, publications and eMedia. Diversified serves a number of industries including: seafood, food service, natural and organic, healthcare, commercial marine, and business management. Diversified operates divisions in Australia, Hong Kong, India, the UK and Canada. For more information, visit: http://www.divcom.com

About the Gulf States Shipbuilders Consortium
With 78 members consisting of shipbuilders, suppliers, economic developers, and educational partners from organizations along the Gulf Coast, GSSC focuses on workforce development issues facing the industry. Its mission is to promote increased productivity and improved competitiveness in the gulf coast shipbuilding industry. GSSC was founded in 2006.